Take a ‘Wild Ride’ With the Trailer for Elton John Biopic ‘Rocketman’

The film, which stars Taron Egerton, traces John's rise from the Royal Academy of Music toward becoming one of pop music's biggest stars.

"There are moments in a rock star's life that define who he is," manager John Reid says in the clip below. "Where there was darkness, there is now you – and it's going to be a wild ride."

Reid is portrayed by Richard Madden. Egerton does his own singing in the movie; that's him performing Elton John's Top 10 1972 smash "Rocket Man" in the trailer.

Elsewhere, the one-minute teaser treats fans to a cavalcade of John's era-defining costumes, ending with a message saying Rocketman is "based on a true fantasy." The film, directed by Dexter Fletcher, is set for release in May 2019.

Tom Hardy was originally tapped for the lead role in Rocketman, but left the project after struggling with the vocal demands. "I'm not a singer," Hardy later admitted. "I'm really trying because of Rocketman, but it's hard to open my mouth in that way."